Clothespin



the other.

Patented Dec. 7, 17937 y UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE VCLOTHESPIN Eucliede Lognion, Lake Charles, La.

Application May 19, 193'77, YSerial No. 143,581

,z claims. (o1. 24-261) This invention relates to a clothes pin, and has for its object to provide, in amanner as hereinafter set forth, an article of such class formed of a skeleton-like body consisting of a pair-of spring controlled oppositely shiftable clothes grippers in aV manner as hereinafter set forth, a vclothes f pin of the spring controlled gripping type inthe form of a skeleton body constructed from an endless length of spring wire of the desired gauge and possessing a non-rusting characteristic.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a mannerra's` hereinafter set forth.' a clothes pin of the spring controlled gripping type in the form of a skeleton body constructed from an endless length of wire ofthe desired length and including a pair of coacting clothes grippers, one being provided with a series Vof spaced oiset grippingpoints for clamping the clothes against Further objects of the invention are to provide, in a manner as hereinafter setV forth, a skeleton clothes pin which is simple in its construction, strong, durable, compact, thoroughly efficient in its use, possessing an inherent clothes gripping function, conveniently positioned in clothes suspending relation with respect to a hanger, such as a clothes line, possessing a non-rusting characteristic, and inexpensive to manufacture.

To the above ends essentially and to others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specifically referred to and as illustrated in the accompanyinggdrawing wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed. In the drawing: Y

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the clothes pin,

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof,

Figure 3 is a section on line 3 3, Figure 1, Figure 4 is a section on line 4 4, Figure 1, and Y Figure 5 is a section on line 5 5, Figure 1.

The clothesV pin is constructed from an endless length of spring wire of the desired gauge and which possesses a non-rusting characteristic.

Thewire is bent in a manner to form a skeleton body 6 formed of a pair of oppositely disposed grippersl, 8, apair of parallel controllingY springs .9, ID disposed at right angles to the grippers 'I,

8 and a handle formed of a pair of spaced paralv5 lel like hand gripping portionsV I I, I2 extended forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the springs 9, I0. The gripper fl extends forwardly with respect to the handle portions II, I2. The gripper extends forwardly with respect to the 10 springs 9, I0. Each of the handle portions is in the form of'a resilient loop open at its inner end. The handle portions act to normally maintain the V,gripper l in abutting relation with respect to the gripper 8. The springs 9, I0 act to normally l5 maintain the gripper 8 in abutting relation with respect to the gripper 'I.

The gripper 'I is formed of a horizontally disposed curved front part I3 and a pairof spaced parallel side parts I4, I5 of like form. The ends 20 of the part ,I3 merge into the forward endsof the side parts I4, I5. Each side part includes an upwardly inclined leading stretch I6, an upwardly extendingrearwardly inclined outer intermediate stretch I'I, a central rearwardly extending 2'5 downwardly inclined intermediate stretch I8, an upwardly extending rearwardly inclined rear intermediate stretch I9 and a rearwardly extending downwardly inclined rear or follower stretch 2U. The lower end of stretch I1 merges into the 30 rear end of stretch IB. The forward end of stretch I8 merges intothe upper end of stretch I'I. The lower end of stretch I9 mergesinto the rear end of stretch I 8. The forward end of stretch 20 merges into the upper end of stretch 35 I9. The stretch I6 is of greater length than stretches I E, I1, I9. The stretch I 8 is of greater length than the other stretches. The points of joinder of stretches I6, II form gripping points 22. The points of joinder of the stretches I 8,40 I9 form gripper points 2|. The portions 2l of stretches lil-provide gripper points. The points 2| are normally in abutting engagement with the gripper 8. The stretches I6 in connection with the curved front part I3 provide for the forward 45 end terminal portion of the gripper 'I to extend outwardly at an upward inclination with respect to the gripping points 22. The construction of the gripper 'I forms its inner face with a series of spaced gripping points for the clothes.

The gripper 8 extends forwardly with relation to the front part I3 of gripper 'I and is formed of a horizontally disposed front part 23 and a pair of spaced parallel side parts 24, 25 of like form. The ends of the part 23Ymerge into the forward 55 ends of the parts 24, 25. The side part 24, as well as the side part Z5 consists of a down curved leading stretch 23, a rearwardly extending intermediate stretch 2l which inclines slightly upwardly from front to rear and a rearwardly extending upwardly inclined rear or follower stretch 28. The upper end of stretch 26 merges into the forward end of stretch 21. The lower end of stretch 28 merges into the rear end of stretch 21. The stretch 2S is of less length than the stretches 21, 28. The stretch 2l is of greater length than the stretch 28, The gripping points 22 normally abut the upper terminal portions of the stretches 26. The portions 2| oi the stretches I8 align in spaced relation with the stretches 2l. The part 23 in connection with the stretches 26 provide for the forward end terminal portion of the gripper 8 extending outwardly with respect to the forward ends of the stretches 21. The forward end terminal portion of the gripper 8 extends in an opposite direction with respect to the forward end terminal portion of the gripper 'I. The said forward end terminal portions facilitate the positioning of the pin for the purpose of gripping the clothes to or clamping them on the line.

The controlling springs 3, I@ are formed by a pair of coils. Each stretch 28 of the gripper 8 merges at its rear end into one end of a coil. The coils have their ends positioned at the tops thereof.

Each handle section consists of an upstanding curved rear stretch 2S, a forwardly extending downwardly inclined horizontal top stretch 30 and a forwardly extending upwardly inclined bottom stretch 3 I. The end of the stretch 29 merges into the rear ends of the stretches 30, 3|. The forward end of each top stretch 3B merges into the other end of a coil rearwardly of and inwardly with respect to the point of mergence of a stretch 28 with a coil. The bottom stretches 3| have oppositely disposed outcurved forward end terminal portions 32 which merge into the rear ends of the stretches 20 of the gripper 8'. The length of the stretches 29 is greater than that of the part I3 of gripper 'I or the part 23 of gripper 8. The stretches 29 are disposed at right angles to the parts I3, 23 of the grippers. The longitudinal medians of the .grippers are disposed at right angles to the axes of the springs. When hand pressure is applied to the stretches 3U, 3| of the handle and in a direction to narrow the openings at the inner end of the portions I I, I2 it facilitates, in connection with the forward end terminal portions of the grippers to open these latter to overlap the garment for the purpose of gripping or clamping the latter to the line. The said forward end terminal portions provide what may be termed an entrance passage for the clothes when the pin is moved to active position,

What I claim is:

1. In a clothes pin, a pair of oppositely disposed U-shaped grippers, one having means for normally abutting the other intermediate the ends of the latter, said grippers having their forward end terminal portions extending away from each other to provide an entrance passage for a garment to be gripped to a clothes line, a pair of controlling springs, the sides of one of said grippers merging at their rear ends into the said springs, and a looped handle merging into said springs and in the rear ends of the sides of the other of said grippers.

2. In a clothes pin, a pair of oppositely disposed normally superimposed oppositely shiftable U- shaped gripp-ers, a pair of coiled controlling springs, the sides of the lower one of said grippers merging at their rear ends into said springs, and a looped handle having parts merging into the rear ends of the sides of the upper gripper forwardly of the springs and parts merging into said springs rearwardly of said grippers.

EUCLIEDE LOGNION. 

